


Seven Minutes

by Killedbycroc



Category: All Time Low
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-05-12
Updated: 2012-05-12
Packaged: 2017-11-05 06:05:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,163
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/403220
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Killedbycroc/pseuds/Killedbycroc
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>I will admit that I do have the smallest thing for Zack, and have done for the past six years or so, but I’m able to keep control of it. Well, most of the time; let’s just say those feelings kind of come back when you accidently walk in on him shirtless.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Seven Minutes

  It was official – I was bored. This lesson was just dragging on for too long now; I wasn’t even sure what subject it was anymore. I painfully watched the time drag by, seconds turning into minutes, minutes into hours. The only thing that managed to bring me out of my utter boredom was when a ball of paper landed squarely in front of me.

  _Emma,_ it read, _party at mine tonight. Bring alcohol and whoever you want. Oh, and Zack’s gonna be there definitely ;) Sophiieee xxxxx_ Soph, my best friend, always seemed obsessed with the idea that me and Zack were gonna get together just because she was with Jack, and my other friend Jodie was with Alex... that didn’t mean that the only singles left had to pair up! Although, I will admit that I do have the smallest thing for Zack, and have done for the past six years or so, but I’m able to keep control of it. Well, most of the time; let’s just say those feelings kind of come back when you accidently walk in on him shirtless. That sort of thing can make you forget in an instant why you’ve never gone for it.

  Eventually the bell rang, signalling that our time in the cells was over and that we were now officially free; instantly, I ran over to Sophie.

  “So what’s with the spontaneous party then?” She shrugged.

  “Dunno, just felt like it. Plus it’s the weekend, so it’s not like we’ve got much to worry about or anything.”

  “So who’s coming so far?” I asked, curious what people I would have the pleasure of spending my Friday night with.

  “Um, well there’s you and me, obviously, then Jack, Zack, and Rian, as well as his new girlfriend, and then I think Matt, Vicky, Gina, Evan, Mandy, Vinny, Natalie, Gina and Danny are coming too.”

  Checking off all the names in my head, I became confused. “Wait a sec, you didn’t mention Jodie. Or Alex for that matter.”

  She shook her head. “They’re coming later. Apparently Jodie said they needed to spend some ‘quality time’ together or whatever.”

  “Some _what_?”

  Sophie scrunched her face up. “Yeah, I didn’t really understand it either.” We both looked at each other, sharing that ‘I don’t wanna know’ look we had used so many times before.

  “...She’s one weird girl.”

  “You got that right.” We continued talking as we walked out of the doors, Sophie desperate to get home so that she could begin to set up.

  “Need any help?” I offered.

  “Nah, I should be alright. Anyway,” she stopped right in front of me, “you need to go make yourself look good for Zack.” I sighed.

  “How many times have I told you, there’s nothing between us two.” Every time I said that to her, she seemed to believe me less and less.

  “Mhmm, whatever you say Emma. Just make sure that you come back to mine, and be prepared to get absolutely lampshaded on booze, okay?”

  I snorted. “Would you expect any less from me?”

 

  About ten minutes after the party started, I headed round to Soph’s, and found out that a lot really _can_ happen within ten minutes – almost everybody was there already, and it looked like the alcohol had began to take effect on most people.

  “Emma!” Sophie pulled away from Jack and rushed over, squeezing me as tightly as she possibly could. “What took you so long to get your butt here?”

  I shrugged. “I kinda got a bit lost in oneshots, sorry.” She slapped me for that, knowing I could become _a bit_ too crazy when I read them. “Hey Jack,” I called over Soph’s shoulder.

  “Hey Emma,” he replied as he walked over and snaked his arm round Soph’s waist. “Reading oneshots again?” Guiltily, I nodded; damn, they all know me too well!

  “So where’s the alcohol then?” I asked as I looked around, desperate to get started.

  “Out in the kitchen.” She jabbed towards a door with her thumb. “Go knock yourself out.” As fast as I possibly could, I went into the kitchen, taking in the sight before me which was twenty different ways to get off my ass – it was so moving I almost cried. Reaching out for the closest drink, a hand grabbed onto my leg, causing me to scream in pure terror. And then I heard that familiar laugh.

  “Zack! What have I told you about giving me heart attacks?”

  “Sorry!” Getting up from under the table, Zack couldn’t stop laughing. Everything about him, from his warm chocolate hair perfectly framing his adorable face, to that heart-warming smile of his that sent shivers down my spine every time he did it, was simply breathtakingly amazing; I could hardly believe at times that he would want to be seen with me. “It’s just... it’s just you’re so gullible at times, I can’t resist it!” Even if he did look good, that didn’t excuse him from torturing me, so I slapped him on the arm, but only lightly, cus, hey, I didn’t want to make him look bad if it hurt him.

  Still, I had to try and get my revenge on him somehow, which is why I found myself holding the bottle I’d just about managed to pick up over his head. “Would you like this to end up over your head?”

  He shrugged. “Sure, as long as some of it gets in my mouth.” Which meant that I would become his own personal slave just because he was too lazy to drink it himself.

  “...Is that really all you think about?”

  “I do think of other things too.” For a second, I thought I saw something in Zack’s eye, but before I could ask him about it, somebody yelled from the other room.

  “Right, time’s up! Get out of there...”

  Turning back to him, I saw a similar look of confusion sweep across his own face. “What the hell’s that all about?”

  “I have no idea, and knowing them lot, I don’t wanna know.” Truer words could never be spoken, and just to prove that point even further, ten seconds later Jodie came barrelling into the room, who attacked me from behind and grabbed tightly onto my neck.

  “EMMMMMMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!” She painfully screeched down my ear, making me wonder what idiot had thought it was a good idea to give her sugar (trust me, I know it was sugar). “What have you been hiding in here for?”

  “I am protecting the alcohol, so step near it and I will have to kill you.” I gave her my best ninja pose, wanting to keep her from getting anymore crazy than she already was, but she just ignored it.

  “Aww, come on,” she pleaded, “just a little bit.”

  Zack stepped in. “Sorry, but on this occasion I have to agree with Emma. You get too crazy when you have alcohol.”

  “But I’m always crazy!”

  “I mean _crazy_.” Sulking, Jodie dragged me with her to the other room as punishment.

  “I don’t know why you guys aren’t going out,” she muttered under her breath, “you’re both as big a buzz-kill as each other.”

  “Hey, it’s not my fault that I’m trying to protect the sanity of everyone else!” All the people near-by nodded, making it obvious that I had won.

  Just as she opened her mouth to protest, Alex, who was on the couch beside us, butted in. “Don’t even bother arguing back Jodie, she’ll just have a comeback for everything you say.” Her mouth dropped in disbelief; annoyed that he was on my side, Jodie stormed off.

  Once she had gone, I poked his arm and leant into his ear. “...If I haven’t said it before, she’s lucky to have a guy like you defending her.”

  “Eh,” he shrugged as he took a swig from his bottle, “she’ll calm down and be back here within the next ten minutes.” I whacked the back of his head, causing him to nearly choke on his drink.

  “Lazy ass,” I muttered before walking off, stealing his drink as well, seeing as I forgot to get one from the kitchen five minutes ago. Or maybe I had already drunk it but forgotten... we shall never know.

  After that, I pretty much just stood around talking to people, getting more to drink; nothing that interesting (and yes, Alex was right – eight minutes later Jodie had walked back in and sat on his lap). In the middle of doing nothing, somebody thought it would be funny to kidnap me, placing their hand over my mouth so I wouldn’t scream; obviously they didn’t know me, as I licked whoever’s hand it was, but that did nothing to stop them as I was dragged, kicking and protesting, before being thrown into a cupboard and saying goodbye to all traces of light. Anxiously I waited and waited, not knowing what my fate was going to be, when a few minutes later the door opened again. Desperate to get out, I ran, but was knocked back when somebody was shoved into me, causing all the air in my lungs to rush out of me as I hit the floor, the person landing on top of me.

  “Okay,” a voice outside the door yelled, “your seven minutes start now!” What? What did they mean starting now?

  When the person on top of me began to stir, I moved myself, grateful that I could breathe again. “Sorry about that Emma, they just shoved me in here, and I couldn’t really see you, so...”

  “It’s okay Zack.” Even though it was impossible to see, he grabbed my hands and helped me off the floor. “So what exactly is the deal with the cupboard and everything?”

  “Turns out they decided to play seven minutes in heaven.” _Ahhh_ , that explains a _lot_.

  “Pfft, that stupid game?” Okay, so I was lying – being trapped in a cupboard with Zack for seven minutes sounded like... well, heaven, as cheesy as it may seem (and yes, I realised how stupid it sounded when I replayed it in my head). “What, do they expect us to just start making out or something?”

  “I know,” he replied in the same annoyed, but anxious, tone that I had just used. “They don’t seem to understand that people of the opposite sex can just be friends without anything further happening between them.”

  “Exactly! Everything with them always has to work out picture perfectly...” My words were starting to get less convincing now, the situation we were in running through my head over and over again. Me and Zack were locked in a cupboard. A very small cupboard. And people outside that door were expecting us to do something. The pressure certainly felt like it was mounting on my shoulders. “So, how do you think we should screw with their heads then? Might as well take advantage of the situation we have here.” Oh God, please don’t let him think I was implying anything...

  “Maybe we could do this.” Suddenly, Zack started banging against the door with his fist – and I couldn’t stop giggling. “If they’re all as sick minded as you obviously are, then this should mess with their heads.” He began to methodically bang in threes, the rhythm of it beginning to calm me down; okay, I said to myself, surely most of the time must be up by now, and when I leave this cupboard I can go and get drunk and pretend that none of this ever happened... Somehow, I managed to shake those thoughts out of my head, focusing on the bangs again. _One, two, three. One, two, three. One, two..._ but this time, the third knock never came – instead, Zack’s hands grabbed harshly onto either side of my face, and before I could comprehend what was happening, his warm lips found their way onto mine, effortlessly melding into my own. I couldn’t believe this was happening; he was actually kissing me! Without any thought whatsoever, I let my instincts take over, my hands running through his soft, luscious hair.

  About a minute later (though I wasn’t really sure about how long had actually passed), he pulled back from the kiss, but kept his arms wrapped around me, and in the darkness I could just about make out his eyes staring intently at my own. “You have no idea how long I’ve wanted to do that for,” he exhaled in one breath as he leant his forehead against mine.

  “Same here, you absolute idiot.” This time, I kissed Zack first, obviously catching him off-guard. All too soon, however, the door opened, and Sophie was standing there with the biggest grin on her face.

  “Come on you two, other people need this cupboard you know!”

  Without ever taking his eyes off me, Zack told her where to go. “Sorry, we’re not quite done yet.” And with that, he closed the door behind him, leaving us two to enjoy the moment.


End file.
